Dubai: Awareness drives launched on truck movement ban

Dubai: An awareness campaign has been launched to inform heavy vehicles and truck drivers about the timing of the truck movement ban on Dubai’s roads.

The step follows the truck movement ban on January 1, covering a section of Emirates Road from Al Awir to Sharjah during evening peak hours, from 5:30 pm to 8 pm.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), in collaboration with the Dubai Police General Headquarters, initiated field awareness campaigns about the truck movement ban policy, locations and traffic safety for heavy vehicles.

The campaign highlighted the evening peak-hour truck movement ban, especially on Emirates Road for vehicles travelling from Dubai to Sharjah.

The field campaign engaged truck and heavy vehicle drivers at the truck rest stops along the Emirates Road and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road. It included the distribution of giveaways and informational brochures via QR Codes in three languages: Arabic, English, and Urdu. These materials outlined the ban timings in detail and included comprehensive maps of Dubai’s roads, clearly marking the restricted hours for truck movement.

The field awareness campaigns included focusing on heavy vehicle safety along the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road. These campaigns centered on three key objectives: mobility safety, traffic awareness, and road safety. The heavy vehicle safety campaign engaged 1,000 drivers, educating them on the importance of adhering to safety and security standards while operating their vehicles. Drivers were reminded to comply with traffic laws and regulations to ensure safer roads for all users.

RTA applies truck movement restrictions on various roads and streets in Dubai, tailored to the specific characteristics of each area and road corridor. Truck movement is strictly prohibited on major streets, including Al Ittihad Street, Al Meydan Street, and all crossings. Other roads, such as Sheikh Zayed Road and residential areas near Sharjah, including Al Mizhar, Al Muhaisnah, and Oud Al Muteena are subject to a 16-hour daily restriction from 6 am to 10 pm.

In moderately congested urban areas, such as Airport Street, Oman Street, and Damascus Street, truck movement is restricted during peak hours, specifically from 6:30 am to 8:30 am, 1 pm to 3 pm, and 5:30 pm to 8 pm.

Adjustments to truck movement restrictions are based on engineering and technical studies, which consider factors such as vehicle density, traffic incident statistics, urban development along the roads, and the distribution of traffic to alternative routes capable of accommodating the flow.